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This week, Angie Ling, the incident commander with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services addressed the latest update in vaccine prioritization for people with underlying health conditions.
“When we move into phase 2A, which is very near, we will ensure up to 10% of the weekly allocation is allotted for high risk medical conditions regardless of age," Ling said.
Ling said the health departments will determine which individuals with high risk conditions should be vaccinated first.
Previously in February, Gov. Pete Ricketts’ made the decision to remove people with underlying health conditions from the vaccine prioritization list. Since then, Jamie Berteucci, with the Down Syndrome Association for families of Nebraska has been worried about the down syndrome community.
“When someone with down syndrome contracts COVID-19, their mortality rate is the same as a typically developing person at age 80," Berteucci said.
Berteucci said a study from the United Kingdom shows that people at any age with down syndrome are ten times more likely to die from COVID-19. The association decided to collaborate with other local and national organizations to circulate a petition.
“It makes me very sad. Right now, I’ve been home this past year along with my family because I do not want to get the virus. I’ve had two open heart surgeries which puts me at a higher risk," Elissa Fuelberth, a 21-year-old Lincoln resident with Down Syndrome said.
Due to her condition, she has smaller airways and heart issues that only increase her risk to the virus. Elissa’s worry has only increased since the original decision.
Dean Fuelberth, Elissa’s father and one of the association’s board members, said he’s very concerned about his daughter’s risk to the virus.
“Here at our house with Elissa we’re greatly concerned about trying to keep her safe every single day and trying to alter our lives, obviously this last year, so we don’t bring anything into the house," Dean said.
The Fuelberth’s concerns are shared by Dr. Jason Potts, an internal medicine physician in Lincoln. Potts said heart and respiratory issues are common among people with down syndrome. He said it places them at high risk with COVID-19 and priority for the vaccine.
“I think when the studies are showing that down syndrome and some of these conditions are a higher risk for complications, I think it is important to try to continue to focus on getting the highest risk people covered as soon as we can," Potts said.
The Fuelberth family is anxiously waiting for Elissa's vaccine date.